Nuncio to Ukraine: 'We are wounded but God is with us'
By Svitlana Dukhovych
Six thousand buildings in Kyiv have been without heating since January 9, following a massive attack by Russia.
As of midday Friday, heating was off in around 100 buildings in the Ukrainian capital, according to Mayor Vitaliy Klychko, who pointed out that municipal engineers are working around the clock to restore heating in all buildings.
“The energy supply situation, on which the supply of household utilities depends, remains very difficult. Kyiv is still experiencing power blackouts,” Mr. Klychko added on Telegram.
During a press conference after the meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude to the teams that work tirelessly every day to repair energy infrastructures.
“We are constantly working on restoring the power plants and increasing imports and technical capabilities, which were also destroyed by daily Russian attacks,” said the president.
Speaking to Vatican News, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas, Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, described the current situation and the challenges facing the population.
Q: Given the energy crisis affecting various regions of Ukraine, including the capital, how are the citizens of Kyiv doing, and how are you at the Nunciature?
Now, because of the war, there is a severe power shortage as a consequence of the bombings that hit cities and towns. With January's cold weather causing temperatures to drop to twenty degrees below zero at night, we are facing a difficult situation, particularly in Kyiv.
I have been told by bishops, priests and faithful that also in western regions there is a lack of electricity. I have heard from many people that they only have light for 3 hours every day.
Kharkiv has a similar situation where families experience two-day periods without electricity or heating. This means that even bakers often are not able to bake bread, and the same happens with other types of food.
So, food shortages are being caused by this energy crisis, apart from the difficulties faced by civilians due to the cold. This seems to have some resemblance to the Holodomor that Ukraine went through in the 1930s.
We have our own generator at the Nunciature, which means we can have more light, water, and heating than the others. If the situation remains unchanged, it is possible that the entire Ukrainian capital would need to be evacuated, as the mayor of Kyiv said a few days ago.
Q: You recently presided over the Holy Mass in the Marian Shrine of Berdychiv on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the renewal of the structures of the Latin Rite Church in Ukraine and the inauguration of the Year of the Sacred Heart of Jesus proclaimed by the Latin-rite Bishops for 2026. What are your thoughts on this event that took place in a challenging situation?
We had a significant celebration for the Latin Rite Catholic Church in Ukraine at the main Shrine of Berdychiv.
The Bishops of all Ukrainian dioceses gathered as we celebrated the beginning of the year dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, supplicating for his merciful reception, forgiveness of sins, and protection from all evil. We prayed that God's goodness would overcome sin and war and grant us peace.
This year will be spent in family and parishes, and each person is encouraged to experience personal devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The 35th anniversary of the re-establishment of the Latin-rite Catholic hierarchy on January 16, 1991, was also celebrated today.
We know that war is caused by the devil's actions, and the devil is afraid every time we worship God. But we are aware and confident that the Lord is with us.
We conducted these celebrations in union with Pope Leo XIV and the entire Church. It was a very touching and profound celebration for me, and I have a lot of hope for its fruits.
Q: In Berdychiv, did you have the chance to speak with the bishops of the regions particularly affected by the war? How did you find them?
I met with the Ordinary of Kharkiv-Zaporizhzhia and his auxiliary, and also with the Bishop of Odessa. Spiritually, I have seen them all very trusting in the Lord. In Kharkiv, they didn't have electricity all day: it is a very tiring time.
I would like to add that I spoke to a Catholic from Sumy who carries out various humanitarian missions in the Kharkiv region itself. He told me that he is psychologically exhausted, as two of his colleagues were killed in a drone attack while delivering aid to that area. Whenever he sees drone strikes, he is reminded of that trauma.
He also said that he does not feel the full impact of war when he is in Ukraine. When he travels outside the country, he realizes how traumatized he is by the war, as every sound he hears resembles that of bombings, missiles, and drones. Today, the entire Ukrainian population is battered and severely traumatized.
I am confident that our brothers and sisters across the globe will also keep this aspect in mind by praying for the mental well-being of all those who are suffering from the direct impact of war.
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